The present invention relates to a method for supporting a traveling web of knit fabric as the web travels between a padding device and a take up roll on which the knit fabric web is taken up.
During the production of knit fabric of the type used in hosiery, it is known to subject the knit fabric to a pad dyeing process in which a web of the knit fabric is submersed in the pad bath of a padding device and is thereafter traveled through the nip formed between a pair of squeeze rollers for removal of excess padding from the knit fabric web. After travel through the nip of the squeeze rollers, the still damp knit fabric web is typically taken up on a take up roll and the taken up knit fabric web remains on the take up roll for a predetermined time selected for the particular padding substance which has been applied to the knit fabric and the type of material of which the knit fabric is composed. It is customary to subject the roll of taken up knit fabric to a vibrating action to thereby minimize the formation of undesired pools of liquid on the fabric.
The edges of the knit fabric web have a tendency to curl and, to counteract this curling tendency, it is known to provide appropriate devices such as, for example, fabric spreaders for maintaining the edges of the knit fabric web in a generally uncurled state prior to the travel of the knit fabric web into the padding device, and, additionally, during travel of the web between the pad bath and the pair of squeeze rollers. The curling tendency of the knit fabric web likewise occurs as the knit fabric web travels beyond the pair of squeeze rollers to the take up roll. Accordingly, it is known to position the take up roll relatively closely adjacent the pair of squeeze rollers so as to minimize the extent of travel of the knit fabric web between the pair of squeeze rollers and the take up roll and thereby minimize the extent to which the edges of the knit fabric web travel in unsupported manner. British Patent Specification 1,028,905 discloses an arrangement in which a perforated stainless steel drum, which acts as a take up roll, is positioned closely adjacent the respective one of the padding mangle rolls over which the knitted fabric is traveled following its passage through the nip formed between the pair of mangle rolls.
As the knit fabric web is taken up on the take up roll, the diameter of the already taken up knit fabric web on the take up roll correspondingly increases and so provisions must be made for continuously adjusting the spacing between the axis of the take up roll and the pair of squeeze rollers to avoid a situation in which the knit fabric web binds during its passage therebetween or is subjected to an undesired compressive force. To avoid these problems, it is known to space the take up roll from the pair of squeeze rollers but this solution brings with it corresponding disadvantages. For example, appropriate provisions must be made for counteracting the tendency of the edges of the knit fabric web to curl such as, for example, by providing additional fabric spreaders for maintaining the web edges in an uncurled condition as the knit fabric web travels between the pair of squeeze rollers and the take up roll. Accordingly, the need still exists for a method for facilitating the efficient take up of a knit fabric web on a take up roll while minimizing undesired curling of the edges of the knit fabric web.